Force-feed lubricator



May 3l 1927 Jyw. WOODRUFF FbRcE FEED LUBRIGATOR Filed Deo. 23, 1924 ATTOREYS.

Patented l May 31, 1927.

JOSEPH WQWODRUFE, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

ronca-FEED Lmsmcn'rn,

Application led December 23, 1924. Serial No; 757,618.

y This invention relates in general'to Aa lubricating device of the typein which the lubricant is discharged from the device by force, as by afollower pistonI operated manually 0r by power such as compressed air.More particularly the invention refA flates to such a device especiallyadapted for use withvheavy or unusually viscous greases, -oils, etc.,such as are used in large machinery operating under heavy loads such as.sugarl cane rolls and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide aV lubricating device of thecharacter 4 described embodying novel and improved features ofconstruction including the combination of a casing or reservoir forlubricant and a relatively small lubricant ejector for forcibly ejectingor discharging lubricant and feeding lit to a machine, either manuallyor by-power', whereby only a predetermined amount of lubricant to beejected' at any time is actually moved sot-hat opera,-

- tion 1s rendered easy with a minimum of' power, in contrast to thecommon type of lubricator in which the whole2 bo y of lubricant in thecasing is moved'npon each ejection of a small portion. l

' Another object 4is to provide such a lubricating device including alcontainer or reservoir for lubricant, a lubricant ejector of novel andimproved construction comprising a ,cylinderextending throu h and withboth ends projecting from sai casing and Ahavinga llateral opening in'its walls' within said casin and avalved iston slidable in said Y.cylin er, whereby sa1d lubricant may ss into said c linder through -saidopen'- mg and be forci ly ejected from'said cylinder by said piston'. wFurther objects are to provide a lubricating device ofthe characterdescribed including-novel andv improved'm'eans for actuating saidpStOnand. its valve to provide a novel and improved-valve mechanismincombination w1th -said -piston to avoid productionof partial vacuum byactuation of predetermined vquantity saidfpiston toprovide insuchqadevice novel' and lmprovedmeans for feeding .a A of vlubricant to a'machine orJ the like, and to obtain other f results and advantages asmay be brought bfy thegfollowing description;

'Re lerringto'itle accompanymg drawings, `in which tliei` same referencecharacters designate corresponding and like parts throughout the severalv1ews, j

Figure 1 is a vertical longF tional v iew through the casing of thelubricating device embodying the invention, thel ejecting mechanism bemgshown in iside elevation; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figurel showingthe ejecting tion.; I l Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary ver' tical'sectional `view showing the ejecting piston in the position assumedwhen the lubricant is being ejected from the outlet;

Figure 4 is a horizontal `sectional view taken on the line 4--4 ofFigure 2 and Figure 5 is a top plan'view of. the lubricatingdevice.

itudinal secr' mechanism also in sec eo,l i

iment of the invention, the reference -char- 'acter 1 designates acasing to receive the lubricant to be dispensed, for instance heavygrease, oils, etc., said casing being provided at its opposite ends withalined axial openings 2 and 3 within which is arranged thelubricant'ejecting mechanism 4. A

This ejecting mechanism is shown as com- A prising a cylinder formed oftwo sections 5 and 6 connected together by means lof threads 7, one ofthe sections, in the present instance the section 6, extending into theother section and having its end reduced as at 8 to' ;form ashoulder 9.This cylinder' 5, 6-is adapted to be inserted into the casing l 1throughA .the opening 2, andthe section 6 ofthe cylinder is threaded at1'0 in the4 casing, the-end of said sec' opening 3 of the j tion 6projecting-from the casing andform- 'an outlet therefor. l t l -gfesection 6 of the cylinder is provided with a plurality of longitudinal.slots 11 `whereby communication is possible between the interloi" of thecasing 1 and the interior of lthe cylinder. .A piston. 12 islongitudinally .reciprocable in the section 6 ofthe ,cylinder and `isprovided adjacent one end .wtha plurality. ofjfopenings 13 adapted toregister with the openings 11 in the sectionI "6.of the cylinder. Thepiston 12 is ini the form of a straight-walled tube and has .re--YVciprocably mounted therein with' a slidin fit 'a smaller valve tubeAltrthefinner en fof which is closed in any suitable v manner as by theplug 15 to form-A a valve piston rod. The tube 14 isA arranged forlimited longitudinal movement relatively to the piston 12, saidlongitudinal movement in one directionbeing limited by a crosspin 16 tocooperate with the ends of the slots 13, and said relative movementin'the other direction being limited by a piston 17 fixed to the tube 14by a pin 18 and loosely moved in one direction, that is inwardly of thecylinder. A spring 21 is interposed between the piston 17 and theshoulder 9 to move the tube 14 and piston V12 in'the other direction.Movement of the piston 17 Aunder the inliuence of the spring 21 islimited by a cap 22 screwed on the outer end of the section 5 of thecylinder.

In the operation of the device so. far described, thevnormal position ofthe parts is l* gages the end of reduced shown in Figures 1 and .2 withthe ends of the, valve tube 14 and the piston 12-disposed intermediatethe lengths of the' respective slots 11 and 13. With the parts in thisposition the lubricant in the casing 1 will passthrough the openings l1and 13 into the outlet` portion 23 of the section 6 of the cylinder. 'W'hen it is desired to eject the lubricant 4from the casing, the handle 20is pushed downwardly whereupon the closed end of the valve tube 14enters the portion of the piston 12 below 'the openin s 13 and closescommunication between sai openings and the passagethrough the piston,asshown in Figure 3. As the yhandle 20 4is further pushed toward' thecasing, the piston 17 engages theadjacent end ofthe piston 12 and forcesthe latter downwardly into the outlet portion 23 of the section 6 of thecylinder, as shown in Figure 3, until'the'piston 17 enortion 8 ofsection 6. The handle 20 1s then released,

whereupon the' spring 21 immediately withdrawsthe valve tube 14 from thelower end -oif' the piston'12 which opens communication between theopenings 13 and the passage Y through the lower end of the piston 12 andprevents the be produced 1n the outlet` portion 23 if such action didnot take place. v'The pin 16 'then engages the ends o contmueddistentionof the spring 21'raises the .slots 13, and

' lubricate. i

It may be desirable in some instances to 95 y rtial vacuum which wouldtube 14 move upwardly, the lubricant from the casing is drawn into theoutlet portion 23 Iior thenext operation.

o permit the escapel of air within the cylinder 4 due tothereciprocation of the 70 parts therein, I may provide the piston 12 witha vent 24 to permit airto pass from beneath the piston 17 inwardlybetween the -piston 12 and the valve tube '14.' From l --there the `airescapes around the opening 25 in the tube 14 through -which passes thepin 18, andthe outer end .of the tube .adjacent the handle 20 isprovi-ded with a further vent opening 26.` To prevent the Iubricantbeing ejected from the device into a machine or the like from beingredrawn into the casing upon retraction of the piston 12, I preferablyprovide on the outer end of the section 6 of the cylinder a check valvewhich may include a casing 27. threaded on the section 6 and carrying aball check valve` 28 normally influenced by a spring 29 against a lseat30 so as to prevent i'low of lubricant inwardly ofthe cylinder4throughthe outlet end thereof. The casing 27 is 90 preferably formed .withscrew threads 31 for securing the lubricating device to a machine or thelike which it is desired to automatically actuate the Vlubricatingdevice by power. For this purposeI have shown a pipe 35 connectedto'the" projecting end of the section 5 of the cylinder 4 above thepiston 17, said pipe having connected therein a two-way valve 36 adaptedto be automatically operated from a machine through a connecting link orother suitable means Y 37 to intermittently admitan-under pressure-intothe cylinder above'th'e piston17. 105 It will be obvious that'when theair is admitted into thecy-linder `4 the piston 17 will'be lforceddownwardly just as it is when operated from the handle 20, as abovedescribed,

'l and when the' air supply is shut oi and 110 that in the ,cylinderpermitted to `escape by the valve 36, the spring 21 will return theparts to theiry normal positions, as above described.v e i 'Preferablythe upper end of .the casing -1 115 is provided with a filling opening39 adapted to be'closed by a `cover 40 rotatable on-l the end of ltheveasing' about-the cylinder 4, the cover being provided with 'an opening38 `to register with the opening 39 when it 120 is desired to ll thecasing.'

It will be observed that with this construction only as'much of thelubricant as it is desired to eject is moved by the ejecting mechanismat. any one time so that a 125 Y minimum of power is necessary.r Thus',a large casing or container .for a lubricant can be utilized with arelativelysmalll ejecting mechanism. This is particularly desirablewhere the lubricating device is to be used in connection with largemachines, such as sugar cane rolls,. etc., where unusually heavyorjviscous lurlcants are used and 4greatvpressures .inthe bearings ofthe machines are encountered. Also, when it is of the casing, thecylinder 4 being then bodily removable from the casing.

t v While I have shown and described the lubricating device as embodyingcertain details of construction, it will be understood that thisismainly for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the inventionand i that manymodifications and changes may A to close said opening bemade in the details of the construction without departing Jfrom thespirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, I do not de.- sire to be'understood as limiting myself except as required by the followingclaims when construed in the light of the prior art. v Having thusdescribed the invention, what I claim 1s:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a cylinder having aninlet and an outlet, a piston reciprocable with a sliding .t'n saidcylinder between said inlet and said outlet, said piston having anopento establish communication therethrough between said inlet a doutlet, a valve rod having a limited iiciprocatory movement relative tosaid piston in opposite directions and a sliding fit in said opening toclosev andopen the same means on said valve rod above said opening inthe piston to have an ,abutting engagement with said piston to limitrrelative movement of said piston and said valve rod in the `directionand cause movement l of said piston with saidl valve rodafter said.opening said piston 45' l closed, and means for connecting and saidvalve rod to limit relative movement-of said and said valve rod in thedirection too n said openin and cause movement of sai 1 piston with saivalve od in said direction 4after said openopening is Iing is opened,wherebyyactuaton of said valve rod in opposite directions. closesandopens said openin mdf-simultaneously actuates said piston 1n saidcylinder.

2. A device of the characterdescribed,

sliding" fit in said cylinder between said and said outlet and having anopenthrough nication therethrough between said outlet and said opening1n the cylinder, a valve rod 'having' a. lhmited reciprocatory 1 .'movement relative' to said piston and "a slidfor sup l comprising acylinder' having an outlet at 4- p mii?. one end and -an opening in -itswalls spaced relation to said outlet to admit a `lluid tbe pumped, atubular piston having Vstraight interior walls reciprocablewith a itswalls to establish commuing lit therein to. ;.close and-to opencommunication between said opening and the passage throu h said pistonupon movement of said plston in the direction to force duid from saidoutlet of said cylindeiwand in the direction to lill said outlet withluid respectively, and .means connecting said pis- Y outlet to admit afluid to 4be pumped into said cylinder, a tubular piston reciprocable insaid cylinder and having an opening 'in its walls, a valve rodreciprocable in said tubular piston to ,open and close said opening insaid piston, means for connecting said piston to said valve rod topermit limited movement of said valverod 'relatively to said piston inopposite directions to open and close said opening and to cause movementof said piston with said valve rod after said opening has been opened orclosed, a second piston in said cylinder ixedly connected tol said valverod, and means for supplying motive :Huid to said cylinder to acuatesaid second piston and said valve ro 4. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a cylinder having an outlet 4at one end andanopening in spaced relation to said outlet to admit a fluid to be pumpedinto said cylinder, a tubular piston reciprocable in said cylinder andhaving an opening in itsl walls, a valve rod reciprocable in saidtubular piston to open and close said opening in said piston, means forconnecting said piston to said valve rod to permit limited movement ofsaid valve rod relatively to said piston in opposite directions to openand close said opening and to cause movement of said iston with saidvalve rod after said opening has been opened or closed, a second pistoninsaid cylinder l xedly connected to sald valve rod, means motive uid tosaid cylinder to move sa second piston and valve rod in one direction,and a spring for actuating 4said valve rod in theopposite direction.

5. device of the oharacterdescribed, comprising a cylinder havin aninlet and an outlet, a piston reciprocab e with a sliding it in saidcylinder between said inlet .and said outlet, said piston having anopening to establish communicationtherethrough .between said inletandoutlet and Ahaving a longitudinal slot -in its walls, a

valve-'nod reciprocably mounted in said piston with a sliding {it-insaid opening and having a pin movable in said slot to ermit f limitedmovement of said vvalve ro longitudinally relatively to said piston inone direction to Open said opening, and means actuates said piston insaid cylinder.

6. A device of the character described. comprisingr a cylinder having anoutlet at oneend and an opening in its walls in spaced relation to saldoutlet to admit a lui'd to cause movement of said to be pumped, atubular piston reciprocable in said cylinder and havin a longitudinalslot in its walls to establis 1 communication therethrough and thepassage in said iston between said outlet and said opening in saidcylinder, a valve rod reciprocable in said piston to controlcommunication between said slot and thepassage through said piston saidvalve rod having a pin movable l1n sai slot to permit limited movementof said lvalve rod longitudinally relatively to said piston inv onedirection to Open the passage through said piston and said slot andiston with said valve rod in the samedirection thereafter, a

v second piston in said cylinder xedly connected to said valve rod andarranged for limited movement relatively to and to engage thefirst-mentioned piston upon movement of said valve rod inthe oppositedirection afterl communication through said slot has been closed, meansfor supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder to actuate said secondpiston to close communication through said slot, and a spring foractuating said lton havingA strai ht interior walls reciprocable withalslidlng fit in said cylinder between said inlet openino' and saidoutlet and having a longitudinal slot through its walls to permitcommunication therethrongh and.

the passage in said piston betweemsaid inlet opening'and said outletinthe cylinder. a

valve rod having reciprocatory movement relative to said piston and asliding fit therein to close and .to open commumcation between said slotand the passage through said piston upon movement of said piston in thedirection to force fluid from said Outlet of said cylinder and in thedirection to fill saidoutlet with fluid respectively,'said valve rodhaving a pin movable in said slot to limit relative movement of saidvalve rod and said piston in the direction to open communication between.said slot and said passageand to cause movement of said piston withsaid valve rod thereafter, and.

means on said valve rod to limit movement thereof relatively to and tohave abutting engagement with said piston in the o posite direction,whereby actuation of sai valve rod opens and closes communicationbetween said slot and the passage in said piston and simultaneously!moves said piston in said cylinder to permit fluid to vflow through saidl inlet opening to said Outlet and to eject said fluid from saidoutlet.respectively.

JOSEPH W. WOODRUFF.

